Babysitter Generations: Random Thoughts

Today as I was driving home the babysitter, we got to chatting about things like siblings, school and seminary, friends, the things she enjoys, etc.  Normal things that I completely relate to because I remember being that age, as though it were just yesterday.  I realize by saying that, I am officially old.  But my thinking wandered and this is basically how it went:

"Wow, I can't believe that in a few years she'll be off getting married and starting her own little family. (Don't we ALL do this at wedding receptions and reunions, we always make a big fuss over who's grown up so big, etc.)

"In a few more years beyond that, she'll come back to visit her parents and she'll see Jane again and remark how crazy fast she's grown and that she can't believe that's the same little baby girl she used to babysit.

"And a few more years beyond that, she may be asking MY kid to babysit HER kid.

"Then give it a few more years and MY kid will be getting married and starting her own little family and will come back to visit me (by now Grandma) and remark how crazy it is that the kid she used to babysit is all grown up into a big kid."

And so on and so forth.  You get the drift.  Now I know we usually look at aging as a generational type thing.  At least I do.  Like... one day I'll have kids and then I'm old.  After that, one day I'll be a grandma and then I'm old.  After that, great grandchildren.  You know, 20 year chunks of time.  The babysitter analogy just seems to break up time for me in a way that makes me realize that I am aging, and aging fast.  I mean, really, kids grow up so fast and we always say this, but we are aging just as quickly, so it's easier to see how fast when we compare it to something in our kids' lives, like babysitting.  So to illustrate this, I've set up a little timeline below, although not all steps come for everyone in the same order.  But you get the idea.  Where do YOU fall on the 'Babysitter' timeline?

1.  You have a babysitter.
2.  You babysit for others.
3.  Your old babysitter has grown up and had a child.
4.  Your old babysitter hires a babysitter.
5.  The kids you used to babysit are babysitting for others.
6.  You grow up and have a child.
7.  Your kids have a babysitter.
8.  The kids you used to babysit grow up and have children.
9.  The kids of the kids you used to babysit have a babysitter.
10.  Your old babysitter's kids are babysitting for others.
11.  Your kids are babysitting for others.
12.  Their old babysitter is grown up with a child.
13.  Their old babysitter hires a babysitter.
14.  The kids your kids used to babysit are now babysitting for others.
15.  Your kids grow up and have a child.
16.  Your kids' kids have a babysitter.
17.  The kids that your kids used to babysit grow up and have children.
18.  The kids that your kids used to babysit hire babysitters.
19.  Your kids' kids babysit for others.
20.  Etc.
(Eventually you will repeat step 2 for your aging parents, and finally step 1, your kids for you.  Ah the great circle of life!).

I think it is safe to conclude that if you have grandchildren that are babysitting age, then you are getting old enough that you don't want to count any higher.  So I'll be kind here and end it.  But see the point?  I can promise you it boggled my mind to write that list, and that the word babysitter was written so many times it started to look like a foreign word or misspelled.  I am between steps 9 and 10!  So it's time for me to quit running into grown up kids that I used to babysit and marvel at how old they've gotten, or that they are getting married or having babies or whatever.  It's time to own up to the fact that I am getting old just as fast as they are.

This little exercise also proves to me that while childhood seemed like a long eternity (because I still feel like a child in many ways), in fact it was only a short timespan.  But your childhood stays with you your whole life, despite how brief.  I need to spend these important years shaping my child's view of the world and building memories for her.

Of course I knew all of this before.  But it's nice to have a chat with a teenage babysitter and see the generations mapped out in quick succession before her.  Oh what the future holds for her!  Oh, what the future holds for me!

Happy Birthday! Jane turns 2!

We had a birthday week!  First up was a family Sunday celebration at our home for Erik, me and Jane. Well, mostly it was about Jane.  She somehow picked up on what a birthday cake was weeks before now, so it was the cutest to hear her say 'birthday cake' over and over again and get really excited.  She even got the hang of blowing out the candles, although we had to re-light several times.

On Wednesday, her actual birthday, I let her open a present from Jeff and I but that's about it.  We spent some time with Jane's friend Stella in the morning, playing everything from princesses to noodles to 'nap time', then later that day helping a friend clean.

We also went swimming.  Lately when I ask if she wants to go swimming, Jane will start saying "Mermaid, swimming."  When Jeff asks her to swim she'll say "Mermaid."  So I think she's already got some imagination going on in that cute little head of hers.  And she does love mermaids.

Saturday was the kicker.  Spent the whole day preparing the cookies and cake and decorations.  I've been wanting to improve my cookie making and decorating skills.  I nailed the sugar cookie recipe but the decorating needs work.  However, I am not saying they were not cute, they were.  Just could have been a little better. We borrowed a bouncy house from a friend and I was worried that Jane wouldn't participate but she did and loved it.  So did a lot of her little friends, so success!

Another birthday cake.  This one was not too difficult, but the results were fantastic, I loved the way it turned out.  When Jane saw it, she made a gasp and said, "Birthday cake (wait for it)... Thank you, mom." This is officially the first time she has said thank you in a way that I didn't feel was automatic. Like when she asks for a treat and I give her one, she'll say it.  But this one felt like true thanks.  Made me happy whether she meant it or not.  And boy did she enjoy that cake (especially the blue icing part).

It was a lot of work but overall I enjoyed planning and hosting the party.  Really I love arranging social things, even though I'm not a very social person.  Weird, I know.  I just like seeing people interact and having fun together, and I like being with friends.  Of course a 2 year old party is still mostly for the parents!  I had tons of help from Jeff, my mom, and Kaylie, a girl who lives close by and sometimes comes by to say hello to Jane.

This year I picked out the theme way in advance so I could grab things on sale as I saw them.  That was highly successful so I'll have to go ahead and decide what I want to do for her next year.  Problem is, I don't know what she'll be into a year from now!  I'll bet a safe bet is princesses.  Isn't that what every 3 year old little girl loves?

Well it's been a great 2 years so far, Baby Jane.  I guess I can't call you that anymore, since you are practically a little girl now.  You are my favorite little person on the planet and it feels like I've loved you forever.  Perhaps I have. It's true that a child makes your heart grow bigger.  It seems like my whole heart is yours and yet I love others more too because of being your mom.  Motherhood allows me to feel empathy more readily, to be understanding and more patient and compassionate with others and at the same time more kind to myself.  I love you so much.  I wish I could make time stand still, but at the same time, I know the best is yet to come, and you will always be my little girl. You will teach me more about love than I could ever have learned without you in my life.